


Keep Calling Me Crazy, 'Cause I Never Learned

by carmenfoster14



Series: Carmen Sandiego and the Olympians [1]
Category: Carmen Sandiego (Cartoon 2019)
Genre: Alternate Universe- Percy Jackson, F/F, F/M, Gen, I'm not spoiling the book, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Other Ships Not Mentioned in Tags
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-03
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-16 20:07:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,101
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29830218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carmenfoster14/pseuds/carmenfoster14
Relationships: Julia "Jules" Argent & Chase Devineaux, Julia "Jules" Argent & Zari, Julia "Jules" Argent/Carmen Sandiego | Black Sheep, Player & Carmen Sandiego | Black Sheep
Series: Carmen Sandiego and the Olympians [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2192943
Comments: 4
Kudos: 20





	1. My Gym Teacher Tried to Kill Me

My black Converse made a quiet noise as I walked through the mall, a bag of clothes in hand. My eyes darted across the plaza of the mall, making sure I didn’t need to go anywhere else before pulling out my keys. My friend, Zari, was with a… really pretty girl-

There was someone charging toward me.

Green hair and a tracksuit.

Coach Brunt.

I ducked into a crowd, hiding in a bathroom stall and removing my hoodie and jewelry for ease in a fight.

_ zari coach is coming at me what do i do,  _ I texted, slowing my breath.

No response.

I stepped out of the stall.

No one around.

I heard a screech from just outside the bathroom.

_ I have to go out there. _

I stepped out into the plaza.

Where I assumed Coach Brunt would be, there was a large figure: winged, with claws and sharp teeth.

“Well that’s not my middle school P.E. coach,” I muttered, pulling out my keys as my only method of defense.

“Take this. Some say the pen is mightier than the sword,” someone- Zari- said as she handed me a… ballpoint pen.

“What am I gonna do, write it an essay?”

I uncapped the pen and it grew into a sword.

Bronze, about two feet long, and very shiny.

I jabbed in the  _ thing’s  _ general direction, managing to hit her and make her dissolve into dust.

“C’mon, Carmen. Let’s get you home,” Zari soothed.

As soon as we were out of the mall, I flipped.

“What just happened?”

“Chief will explain when we get to camp. C’mon, the train’s about to leave,” the girl I had found pretty from afar- she was even prettier up close, with short black hair, freckles all over, and wire circle-framed glasses- urged.

“Right, but Julia, she doesn’t know anything about what’s going on.”

_ Julia. So that’s her name. _

“I would object but she’s right. What’s going on?”

Julia pondered for a moment.

“I’ll explain on the train. First, we need to get out of the middle of the biggest mall in a 30 mile radius.”

On the train, we had a car all to ourselves. Zari found a seat a few rows behind myself and Julia. 

“So, essentially, one of your parents is a god. Like, a Greek one. Do you have any-”

“I would assume it’s my dad, since, from what I’ve heard from Greek myths, the gods aren’t very present parents?”

“I can attest in saying they very much aren’t.”

“My dad then. My mom’s… involved in my life. I don’t see her much because of work, but she’s around.”

“Oh, one second. Zari?” Julia asked as she turned her head.

“What’s up?”

“Did you complete the protocol?”

“Yes, I let Carmen’s mom know. I’m not reckless, Julia.”

“Okay, I’m just making sure. You are pretty reckless, Zari. You’ve tried to confront someone at Disney for dropping a Jolly Rancher wrapper.”

“Okay, first of all-” Zari joked as Julia turned back toward me.

“So, yeah. Your dad is a god. You’re what’s called a demigod. The place we’re taking you is meant to help you survive longer, seeing as we demigods don’t tend to live very long. ”

I felt an ache in the pit of my stomach that I couldn’t pinpoint. Was it the yearning for home, for comfort, for safety? Or just stomach cramps?

“Do you wanna talk about something else, Carmen?” Julia asked, sensing discomfort that I didn’t realize was detectable.

“Ye- uh, yes, please,” I mumbled, recoiling a bit out of shock.

“Alright. I can do that. Tell me about yourself.”   
I smiled gratefully.

“Okay, well, I’m Carmen, I’m 15, I do track and field- or, I did, I play piano, and I don’t do much else.”

“I think that’s very cool,” Julia said, putting a hand on my shoulder. “I mean it. I don’t think anyone else at camp actually knows piano.”

I snorted.

“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry-”

“Don’t apologize.”

“Tell me, uh, tell me about yourself.” I cringed at my voice crack.

“I’m Julia, I’m 16, I’m homeschooled at camp, I know a few songs on guitar, and I have- had- two little stepbrothers.”

“Oh. I’m… uh- I’m sorry-”

“They’re not dead, I just… got kicked out. By my stepmom. My mom- my mortal mom- was too busy at the time. Clara got to do whatever she wanted. I’m still in touch with my mom, I just… can’t go home-” she sniffled- “and I’m really sorry for changing the topic I just got distracted-”

“Hey, don’t apologize. I want to get to know you better. And if that involves divulging traumas on day one, then so be it. I don’t know you very well, but I care about you.”

Julia sniffled. Her eyes met mine, wide and dark.

I pulled her into a tight hug and let her rest her face against my shoulder.

She sobbed into my shoulder.

When she hadn’t let out a sob for a good three minutes, I pulled her off of me for a better look at her face. I took off her glasses so that my thumbs drifted over her cheekbones, wiping the tears that had pooled just above the frames of her glasses.

“So- sorry. I’m sorry. You- you don’t have to deal with my problems-”

_ She’s  _ gorgeous, _ even when she’s crying.  _

“It’s fine, Jules- Julia. It’s a hard thing to go through. Was it recently?”

She nodded softly, and I noticed that her face was against my shoulder again. She squeezed my waist tightly. 

My arms went up in the air before wrapping around her again.

“I hate to interrupt this… touching moment,” Zari started, causing Julia to quickly recoil, “but we’re about to be at the station. Do you think you’re up to driving, Julia?”

“I’ll drive. I need to get more practice in before my license test next month anyway,” I volunteered.

“Alright. I’ll need to switch out IDs, then. It’s not like anyone will stop us- unless you’re a bad driver?”

“No, I’m very good at driving. I drove me and my friend- don’t worry, I gave her the keys and told her I was going home with some friends- to the mall.”

“Okay, Carmen.”

“Shush, I’ve never driven with you so you don’t have the facts.”

“If your bumper cars skill is any indication, I’m surprised you’re alive.”

“Zari don’t test me-”

“Anyway, I’ll show Carmen around,” Julia cut in.

She and Zari had a conversation with just their eyes that I couldn’t quite decipher.

“Alright! It’s decided. Julia will show Carmen around while I talk to Chief.”


	2. I Found Out My Best Friend Is A Goat

“What are you doing?” I asked Zari.

“Oh, uh-”

“She’s a satyr,”Julia cut in.

“Huh?”

_ Did I hear her right? _

“Julia, go drink some water,” Zari sighed. “But yes, I’m a satyr. I have goat legs. That’s why I wear the same converse every day.”

“... Honestly, that makes sense.”

“Shut up!” she exclaimed, shoving my shoulder playfully.

“Okay then,” I sighed dramatically.

Julia was in the backseat with her phone and a water bottle.

“I’m playing the music!” she called.

I sighed again.

“Of course you listen to Taylor Swift. Of course you do. Why did I guess?” I laughed.

“Shhhh, no one can know my secret.”

I drove skillfully as Julia and Zari screamed the lyrics to the songs.

“What playlist is that?” I asked about 20 minutes into the drive when I had stopped at a stoplight.

“Uh….” Julia’s face was red. “Taylor Swift’s entire discography. I shuffled it.”

_ I doubt that somehow. _

I drove the rest of the way, Zari directing me.

“Okay, Jules. Show me around,” I insisted.

Her face and ears turned red again.

_ What was that about? _

“Of- uh- of course!”

“Player! Come meet Carmen and give her a place in the cabin before she gets claimed!” Julia called into the most normal-looking cabin, which was just a wooden cabin with a few windows. The rest of the cabins were… very different-looking.

“Hey! I’m Player. I’m the head counselor of the Hermes cabin. We take in anyone who hasn’t been claimed or the child of a minor god or goddess, as in, anyone who isn’t an Olympian. Come in, come in. We’ve got a few open bunks for once, but if you want to take a sleeping bag, just know that the bunks won’t be open for long,” the person who had stepped out of the cabin greeted.

“You’re-”

“Yes, I know. I’m five feet tall. Mention it again and I’ll break your back.”

“Player, don’t be mean. She’s taller than me, too. She might not have even been saying that,” Julia insisted.

“I was saying that you’re younger than I expected.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah,” I laughed.

“I’ll take your stuff,” they offered.

“Sure?”

They seized my bag from my arms and disappeared into the cabin.

“Alright, I’ll finish showing you around. C’mon, after this it’ll be dinner time.”

I stumbled after her, wide-eyed and grinning.

The camp was spacious and sprawling. The 12 cabins (four or so of which were empty- I lost count) were arranged like a Greek Omega with a small campfire in the middle. There was a lava rock-climbing wall, an amphitheater, a big blue house called “The Big House”, a mess hall, a lake, and a camp store.

“You can sit with me at dinner if you want. It’s not like Chief is really gonna care that much,” Julia offered.

I smiled softly.

“I’d like that a lot, actually. Thanks.”

I sat next to Julia and we started talking about music tastes.

“Hey, Red. Come sit with me,” Player said from behind me.

“I was-”

“That… wasn’t a request.” Their voice was lighthearted, but their words alluded to something more sinister.

“Oh. Okay. Bye, Jules.” I smiled apologetically.

She looked… sad. Disappointed, even.

Player started talking to me, but I could only pick at my food.

“You belong here, Carmen. I just know it.”

I didn’t eat much, not even when we moved to the amphitheater for s’mores.

I couldn’t eat anything.

I felt like there was a block in my throat.

“Red?” Player asked.

“Wha- what?” I mumbled.

“I think she just got claimed,” someone whispered.

I looked around in a panic, feeling everyone’s eyes on me.

“Welcome to the Hermes cabin, Carmen! You’ll fit right in.”

I didn’t sleep well that night.

One of the “unclaimed” campers offered me their bed rather than the sleeping bag I was assigned, but I refused. I was already taking up too much space. I’d much rather my dad be the god of, like, Post-It notes than thievery.

I was such a trainwreck. I was a monster. Julia-

_ Oh god...s- Julia. _

There was no way Julia would want to talk to me again.

I laid and stared at the ceiling as the sun rose, leaving the cabin as soon as someone else was stirring.

“Good morning Carmen! How are you?” Julia greeted excitedly.

_ What? _

“Oh, I uh- I’m um- I’m pretty okay, how are you?”

“I’m good. You don’t seem okay, though. Are you sure? Your hair is a wreck, there are bags under your eyes, and there’s a mascara trail down your face. Do you want to talk about it or do you want me to wash your face and brush your hair for you?”

I took a shaky breath.

“I’m fine. The second one would be nice, though.”

“Okay. C’mon. I’ll get you fixed up and then we can go explore the woods!”

“Thank- Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Julia’s hands were soft on my face as she wiped the makeup away.

_ She smells nice… _

“Carmen! I’ve been looking everywhere for you!” Player exclaimed.

“Player, leave her alone,” Julia insisted.

I felt like a rope in a game of tug-of-war, being tugged in both directions relentlessly.

“Chief wanted to see her.”

“I know, that’s why I’m getting her ready. Please, leave. I can take her to Chief. She can go on her own, if she wants. She’s fifteen, not twelve.”

Player sighed and moved away.

“Are you okay? Did they- did they say anything to you? Is that why you were crying?”

“I- uh- kinda. They told me that I ‘belong here’ and that sent me absolutely spiraling and I felt like a monster and a trainwreck and I thought that you’d never want to talk to me again-”

I was cut off by Julia’s arms wrapping tightly around me and her just holding me in the middle of the green.

“I’ll walk you to meet Chief. Come on, we have a centaur to impress.”


End file.
